Aira carries Togata with her hair as she tries to continue fighting while also protecting him. ''Don't expect me to carry you all the way! Transform!''. Aira shouts.
''I can't..... we have ...a problem!''. Togata says still panting.
''Huh!?''. Aira shouts.
The aliens continue barraging them with attacks but Aira manages to keep them at bay as there are only a few of them now. ''Well you can't be completely useless! Cover my blind spots!''.
Togata starts to fade and pass out from the exhaustion as Aira gets attacked from behind causing her to drop him as he falls to the ground, the aliens don't stop but they keep attacking both of them.
Aira catches him just in time, arms hooking under his shoulders as alien fire blasts the ground where he was standing a second ago.
''HEY! HEY! Don't you dare faint right now!''. Aira shouts.
Her hair erupts forward, turning into shields and spears, forming a cocoon around them as she drags him behind a chunk of debris.
Togata's breathing is shallow. He tries to stand.
Doesn't happen.
''Okay...So...Bad news''. He says struggling to catch his breath.
Another impact rattles the shield. Aira plants her feet, teeth clenched. ''If you say you can't transform I'm throwing you''.
''I can transform....I just.... can't stand.....''. Togata says.
''Are you kidding me!?''. Aira screams in worry.
Her hair lashes out, knocking back two aliens mid-charge. ''You go full Death god mode and NOW You're tired!?''. Aira shouts.
Togata winces still struggling to breathe. ''In my defense, I did overdo it a little''.
''Oh thank you for the honesty!''. Aira says sarcastically.
Togata lies on the ground struggling to stay awake.
Aira sighs seeing his condition. ''Hey! Don't you dare pass out! It will be harder to protect you that way! Just stay up!''.
''It's....Not that easy''. Togata pants.
''What do you mean!?''. Aira replies.
''When I usually use 10x speed I do it in bursts and slow down because when I use it everything in my body speeds up and my body can't handle it all at once, the oxygen intake is insufficient and more importantly my heart beats like crazy...I should have slowed down but, as you noticed I wasn't really in the right state of mind back there...'' Togata sighs.
''Is it really that bad!?''. Aira shouts worried.
''My body feels like it's going to give out on me or worse I could have a heart attack right here if I don't calm down and catch my breath or if I don't stay awake my breathing will slow down too much and my organs will shut down from lack of oxygen''. Togata explains still panting.
''Ugh! So if you pass out you die and if you don't pass out you die?''. Aira asks.
The aliens continue barraging them as Aira's shield starts to falter.
She pulls him closer, pressing his head against her chest as another blast slams into the hair shield. But then she realizes how close they are. He realizes too.
''Aira...I'm not sure I can calm down in this position''. Togata says a bit flustered.
''Don't make this weird!''. Aira says.
''Too late''. Togata replies.
''You pass out I drop you! Understood!?''. Aira asks as she pulls him tighter anyway, bracing as the shield flexes.
Togata nods yes.
She tightens the shield again. Aliens keep pouring in from the portal.
''Momo and Okarun better hurry! Cause I am not dying babysitting you!''. Aira shouts.
Togata glances up at her, half-smiling despite himself. ''Hey...If it's any consolation...You're doing great''.
''Flattery won't save you''. She scoffs back.
''I wasn't trying to''. Togata replies.
''Damn it this is bad''. Aira says as attacks keep coming at the shield.
''Aira...I mean leader...I'm sorry...Earlier you were right. I was scared and it was about Death, I guess I just, I...''.
''Please refrain from apologizing at this time! This is not the right moment, and you trying to be sincere is just sad okay?''. Aira says still holding the shield up.
''Sorry, for being a burden, I just want to say I get why you'd hate me, I am kind of a know it all egoist who thinks he's always right and I'm going on a self transformation....Thingy...I won't be as annoying in the future. you said earlier I should ask for help but I didn't. I mean there isn't a manual for this teamwork thing, I'm just used to having to do stuff partly on my own, but I'm going to work on it promise''. Togata says still trying to catch his breath.
Aira's hair snaps forward again, slamming an enemy into the ground.
Aira sighs. ''You know for someone who tries to act all calm and scary, you're kinda useless without your spooky powers''.
Another blast. She blocks it.
Togata exhales a laugh. ''Wow. Kicking me while I'm down''.
''You are down''. Aira points out.
She glances at him again, but this time she really looks at him.
Sweaty. Pale. Still trying to stay alert.
Her voice drops just a little.
''But you didn't run''. Aira sighs realizing she's being a bit harsh.
He meets her eyes still struggling to catch his breath. ''Of course I wouldn't I...Care about you guys truly, and I just want to get along....You're my first friends and I didn't want to lose you guys, that's why I left, and I'm sorry about what I said a while back about you being a waste of space If I'm being honest.... you're a great leader''.
''That's the worst apology slash compliment I've ever heard''. Aira says.
''Yeah...I'm working on it....but it was sincere''. Togata replies.
Aira sighs. ''I don't totally hate your guts, you're a good person and a.....great teammate, you carried your weight back there and mastered that bastards powers, even with less than a week of training. Ugh I can't believe I just said that...It's just your attitude pisses me off, if you want me to tolerate you then just stop pretending''.
''Heard that too many times to count''. Togata says.
''Yeah, like be honest are you just really good at everything!?''. Aira asks.
''I don't know...yeah''. Togata says.
''You're so annoying''. Aira says.
''Being good at things doesn't mean you don't struggle I mean look at me now, being saved by my fearless leader''. Togata says.
''Still not going to work''. Aira reminds.
''Ok, that was flattery that time''. Togata jokes as he closes his eyes resting. ''All I mean is I will always need help from my teammates and friends I'm not as great as everyone thinks...really''.
''You can say that again''. Aira says.
Then she sighs. ''I can't totally blame you...You're right I guess there isn't a manual for this sort of things, so listen up! I'll help keep you in check from now on alright!? But you have to listen to whatever I tell you and keep calling me leader agreed?''. Aira asks.
Togata just laughs. ''Yeah, agreed''.
Togata starts to close his eyes.
''Hey don't drift off. When this is over, you're not using that things powers until you learn moderation ok?! And that's an order from your leader''. Aira says.
''I will take that under advisement''. Togata replies with a smile.
Aira scoffs. ''I hate how calm you are now even though you're basically dying''.
He rests exhausted. ''I'm not....looking calm isn't the same as acting calm...But you, you're always confident and ready for a challenge...That's something I respect that about you, leader''.
Aira is surprised to hear the compliment. ''We'll...Be alright.....Momo and Okarun will destroy the portal soon enough''. Aira says determined.
She notices Togata getting unresponsive.
''But you need help as quickly as possible' should I call Tick?''. Aira says.
''No...he's...Watching the Evil eye, now that he's fighting other people if he gets our of empty space he could hurt someone, it's too dangerous don't worry about me I'll be fine''. Togata lies as he obviously begins to struggle to breath even more.
Aira sighs as she thinks to herself. ''Then what we we going to...''.
Suddenly the attacks stop.
''Human girl!''. An Alien shouts from outside the shield.
''Huh?''. Aira says as she turns around surprised they are communicating.
''We have seen your incredible resilience and have decided it worth while to make a deal with you...Relinquish the boy and we will let you go free''. The alien continues.
''What?....''. Aira says as she looks over at Togata who's becoming unconscious. ''And why would I do that!?''.
''We promise to leave you and your human family after the invasion, and even give you a position in our ranks, while your planet dies you will survive, all we ask is you hand over the human boy, my sensors tell me he barely hanging on to life and if we not not hurry his body will deteriorate to the point we cannot make a suit of him, which will be quite the loss due to his strength''. The alien explains.
Aira hesitates for a second thinking about it.
''So what do you say human?''. The alien asks.
''How can I trust you!?''. Aira shouts.
''We give you our word in fact here is an example of our honesty''. The alien says as it steps out of it's exosuit revealing it's true body.
Aira looks over then thinks about it. She looks at Togata then remembers what he said earlier.
Aira sighs as she releases the shield, hair snapping outward tying Togata securely on her back, like a living harness. She rolls her shoulders once.
Aliens close in from all sides.
Aira lifts her chin, eyes blazing an arm on her hips as she points to the aliens.
''Alright, listen up you damn bastards''. Aira says as her hair fans out, sharp and controlled.
An alien which didn't hear the truce shoots at her from the side.
Aira doesn't even look at it as her hair slams it into the side of the building. ''Let's get something straight, you are not fighting him anymore, you're fighting me!''. She steps forward, boots crunching debris as she stands on a makeshift podium.
She adopts a serious position, making sure all of them see her. ''And since nobody bothered to tell you, I'm the one in charge!''.
Her hair coils, poised. Another wave rushes her.
She meets them head-on, voice steady, proud. ''I don't retreat, I don't hand my people over, and I do not lose!''.
''Have it your way''. The alien says as it steps back into the suit.
Aira readies herself. ''Yeah, You better RU..''. She says suddenly as the aliens disappear and she looks around to see the portal closed and all the aliens no where to be seen.
Her hair hangs there… still fully armed.
She blinks once.
Twice.
She slowly turns in a circle.
Nothing.
She detransforms dropping Togata to the ground fully waking up him.
''Ouch''. Togata says.
''Are you kidding me!?''. Aira shouts frustrated.
''Huh?! They are...Gone''. Togata says.
''I can see that!''. Aira grunts. ''UGH!! Unbelievable! You finally acknowledge me as leader and I step up! But the universe cuts the scene! Damn those aliens to hell! They couldn't disappear after I kicked their asses?!".
She falls to the ground grunting furiously, but manages to compose herself and gets up staring at Togata lying on the ground.
''Did you at least hear my speech?''. Aira asks.
''A bit''. Togata replies.
''Did I look cool?''. Aira asks.
''Extremely''. Togata replies without hesitation.
She scoffs, but there's a tiny, satisfied smile she absolutely refuses to acknowledge. ''Tch, of course I did''.
She gets a piece of rope on the ground ties it to him and starts walking dragging him along. ''Next time they are not disappearing until I'm done talking''.
''Uh huh.....yeah''. Togata says just exhausted with the situation barely conscious.